Homicide
by Luvya
Summary: Fin only knew Lake for two years. That was his excuse. What happens when Munch's past comes back to haunt him and causes the rest of the squad to wonder what they actually knew about him?
1. Chapter 1

**Homicide**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Law and Order SVU. Sorry folks.

**Summery: **Fin only knew Lake for two years. It wasn't as if he had the time to get to know his ex partner. Well at least that was his excuse, what happens when part of John Munch's past comes up causing Fin and the rest of the squad to wonder about what they actually knew about the man?

**Authors Notes: **Although I have never actually seen the episode this plot bunny wont leave me alone. It plays homage to an episode off Homicide Life On The Streets, which stared our little Munchkin. It also may just have a brief homage to Oz and a little more insight into Elliot's past.

**Chapter One**

"You got any secrets I don't know about, old man?" Sergeant John Munch's eyes shot up at Detective Odafin Tutuola (otherwise known as Fin) who was hiding his curiosity by looking in some files. John inwardly relaxed.

"Why you asking, Tutuola? You want a detailed description about my sex life or something?" John quipped.

"What all thirty three seconds of it?" Detective Elliot Stabler retorted from his desk while his partner Detective Olivia Benson snorted.

"I had four ex wives you know." John pointed out and pretended to be huffy. Subject avoided successfully.

"Could we please stop discussing Sergeant Munch's sex life or lack there of and get back to work?" John gave Captain Don Cragan a hangdog look.

"Cap, I'm hurt. Hurt right here. . ." Cragan just raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm sure after the many years you've had on the force Sergeant that you will be able to get over it." The three detectives laughed while he merely pouted at the Captain, "John, my office." The captain turned around from the other members of the squad looking curiously at the retreating Captain.

John got up wordlessly and followed, intentionally ignoring the taunts from his fellow detectives feeling like a naughty child on the way to the principal's office. But he hadn't done anything wrong had he?

Thankfully he didn't have long to wait.

As soon as he closed the door the captain smirked at him. John merely raised an eyebrow absentmindedly wondering if the government had replaced their Captain with a Cragan look-a-like.

Something was up.

"Take a seat, John." John sat still feeling a little tense and he also knew Don was enjoying every minute of his discomfort.

"What's this about Cap?" John questioned getting straight to the point, Cragan just studied him for a few moments. Finally Don smiled at him.

"Relax John, you're not in trouble." Almost instantly he relaxed. It was almost as though he needed permission to relax which was scary, for him. However he was not fully assured.

"I'm not?" He echoed.

"You're not." It was his turn to study Don who was definitely amused at his reactions. It wasn't his fault that his boss was acting like a FBI agent undercover.

"So what's this about, Cap?" John repeated.

"You've been officially a Sergeant for nearly a year now." Suddenly he had an awful feeling on what Don was going to suggest next.

"So?" He was happy where he was. Although part of him wanted to go back in the field and help Fin, Olivia and Elliot with cases again and be on equal terms again he knew he never could be.

"Unofficially it's coming up three years." Had it been that long since Lake had joined and left the team?

"We know whose idea that was." John pointed out shifting slightly. He didn't want to admit to the team that it had been thought out behind their backs. That the SVU was a volunteer squad and that the captain had managed to get the IBA to play directly into their hands.

"John you know the only way I could get that lot out of the mess they where in was for me to take the fall. That was why you agreed to take that sergeant exam in the first place."

"It was a bar bet, Cap." John said looking steadily at his captain.

"Say it as often as you like John. You know the truth. Anyway I don't want to go down this track. I want you to take the Captain exam." John sucked in a breath.

"No." John said firmly staring hard at his captain.

"John-"

"No." He repeated not letting his captain finish, "you know if I pass I'll get transferred to another department."

"Not necessarily." Don said calmly which caused John's anger to peak as he got up out of his chair, his hands on the table in front of them.

"You know DAMN well I will Don." He snapped.

"I'm thinking about retiring next year, John." At that John fell silent and sunk back into the chair, knocking the wind out of him.

"The exam it's self is taken every three months. The results sometimes take up to another six months to process." John murmured.

"I want someone who knows the squad to run it John. Not some new rookie hot shot captain who thinks he knows everything." John nodded. There was a hesitant knock at the door and then Elliot's head popped into the room.

"Cap, there are two members of the rat squad here demanding to see you and Munch. Do I send them in?" John raised an eyebrow at the captain who looked almost as confused as he probably did. At Don's questioning glance he slowly nodded knowing that he probably didn't really have any say in the matter.

"Send them in." Something about this seemed odd but he couldn't put his finger on what. He could hear Fin's voice in the back of mind that he was being a paranoid old coot.

Two men in identical black suits came in. FBI wannabe's John summarized in his mind. They nodded politely at him and Don then sat down with ease. John waited for his captain to take the lead of the conversation, knowing that the rat squad never would and that there would be hell to pay if he did.

"What can we do for you, gentlemen?" Don finally said after what seemed an eternity for John. His nerves where getting the better of him. The rat squad had a way of doing that even when you had done nothing wrong.

The men still didn't say anything however the one sitting directly opposite Don slid a bit of paper over to him. John watched as his boss read the bit of paper. He watched the expression change from confusion to disbelief to anger.

"This is insane." Don nearly growled slamming his hands on his desk causing John to jump in surprise.

"Cap, what's going on?" He finally asked his curiosity getting the better of him. Don shot him a look that made him want to take back his words. Something told him he wasn't going to like where this is going.

"Just do what they say. Don't answer any questions. Not until your lawyer gets there. You'll know who it is when they arrive." John's eyebrow shot up and he looked in disbelief at his captain. He wasn't saying what he thought he was saying was he? Finally one of the IBA stood up.

"Sergeant John Munch, please hand over your badge and gun." John nearly protested but Don's words came back to him. Do as they say. He took out his gun and handed over his badge.

"Your spare one as well." The other IBA agent said sternly and John wordlessly stood up, put his foot on the chair and raised his trouser leg, taking his spare gun.

"Place your hands behind your back." He did as required. He knew what was coming however his mouth worked (as it quite often did) without him thinking.

"Could you at least tell me what I'm being arrested for?" The agent ignored him and he felt the handcuffs click shut, before the agent spoke again.

"Sergeant John Munch, you are under arrest for the murder of Gordon Pratt. You have the right to remain silent. . . ." John tuned out the rest of the speech having said it many times before. The first line echoed through his mind.

He was under arrest for the murder of Gordon Pratt.

Another thought soon came to him: had any of the others been arrested or was it just him?

He numbly walked through the squad room noticing the squad members looking at him in disbelief. His partner looked like he was in complete and utter shock. He just walked silently out, knowing not to say anything. Despite the fact he, himself was in too much shock to actually say anything.

He also knew that would be the last time he would be in the squad room for a while.


	2. Chapter 2

**Homicide**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Law and Order SVU or anyone you may recognize from Homicide: Life on the Streets. (Yes there will be character appearances.)

**Summery: **Fin only knew Lake for two years. It wasn't as if he had the time to get to know his ex partner. He at least knew bits of his ex partner of five years Sergeant John Munch.

**Authors Notes: **Although I have never actually seen the episode this plot bunny wont leave me alone. It plays homage to an episode off Homicide Life On The Streets, which stared our little Munchkin.

**Chapter Two**

"Cap, what the hell was that? Because it looked like Munch being walked out by two rats in handcuffs?" Elliot exploded walking into Cragan's office with the other two detectives following, in a stunned silence. Don looked up from the bit of paper he had been rereading wearily and looking much older than Elliot had ever seen him.

"That would be about the size of it Detective," There was a minute silence before anyone dared to speak again.

"What was he arrested for?" Elliot looked over at his partner and quite honestly he didn't know who looked more stunned, her or Fin.

"For the murder of: Gordon Pratt." There was a sharp intake of breath and Elliot knew it was Fin's. This was almost too similar to Detective Lake.

"Who the hell was that?" Fin quickly recovered, looking almost as blank as Olivia. However the name did ring small bells in Elliot's head but he couldn't for the life of him remember where from.

"It was a case that John did back in Baltimore a perp managed to shot all off a squad except for one, the guy who done it managed to get away with it and…" Suddenly Elliot remembered the story.

"The next day he was found dead... that was Munch's squad? I remember hearing it around the squad room apparently they suspected a few cops but the case remained unsolved."

"John was the one that didn't get shot." Don said simply, "and he was suspected for it yes but nothing ever happened with it."

"Until, today." Fin pointed out his voice turning dry.

"They never had enough evidence to convict anyone of that case. You lot really do need me to keep you out of trouble don't you?" A voice spoke up somewhat amused at the door. Olivia's eyes widened.

"Casey." She breathed. Casey nodded briefly at her and then turned her full attention to the captain.

"Alex was currently in trial when you called," Casey apologized, "she will be the primary lawyer on this case I'm just here saving Munch's arse temporary." The Captain nodded, never taking his eyes off his detectives.

"You're not to talk to any one what so ever about John, without Casey present." The three detectives nodded.

"So how are we going to get him out?" Fin questioned and Don started to say something but Casey spoke up before he could.

"You don't."

The silence was almost deafening as four pairs of eyes stared at her in disbelief.

"What the hell?" Casey's face turned almost pleading.

"Olivia-"

"No Casey answer, the damn question. What. The. Hell?"

"I'd answer it if you give me time to finish." She snapped back. The three men in the room where silent, watching the two females almost as if it was a tennis match. Olivia glared at the woman in front of her.

"If we want to get John out of this mess quickly and painlessly we've got to do this by the book. The less you guys are involved physically the more help you are to John."

"Bull shit. We know him, we've listened to his damn conspiracy theories for longer than you've been in SVU you know as well as I do that we're the best people to get John out"

"Olivia." This time there wasn't one voice there was two, in surprise she turned to the other.

"Don't tell me you're agreeing with this. He's your partner Fin."

"And that's the problem isn't it? You're worried we'll get too emotionally involved like we did with Lake" The last bit was directed at Casey who nodded.

"We'll help in anyway we can." Don finally spoke up. Elliot watched as his partner looked steadily at them all and then stormed out of the room without a word. He sighed.

"I'll go."

* * *

John was staring at the window where he knew two IBA's where watching him on the other side. He tapped his fingers somewhat impatiently.

"Would you people just come and question me?" He finally questioned out loud knowing fully well that they could hear him, "Or do you want my lawyer to stop you from getting answers?" Knowing full well he was going against his Captain's orders. He however tensed when he heard the door open and close.

"Well I'm glad one thing hasn't changed. You still can't follow your Captain's orders can you, Sergeant?" Munch inwardly groaned. Only he would be heading this investigation.

"Why am I not surprised you're heading this investigation."

"Why ever would you think that, Sergeant Munch?"

"Because only you're sadist enough to do so" He snapped letting his temper get the better of him. The door opened and closed with a bang causing the other two men to jump.

"Don't say another word, Sergeant." The brisk female voice caused John to nearly sigh in relief. Instead he just gave a smug smile at the Detective in front of him.

"Sergeant Gharty-"

"You made Sergeant? Didn't think you had it in you." John couldn't help but quip at the man in front of him.

"Could say the same about you Sergeant Munch,"

"What part of not saying another word don't you understand, Munch?" Casey snapped a moment later, "anyway as I was saying Sergeant Gharty, you will find that Sergeant Munch was cleared against all possible charges for this so called crime."

"New technology has been able to bring this case to light again and a testing of Sergeant Munch's gun used at the time of the murder has found that it was used in the shooting of Mr. Pratt." His mouth couldn't help but fall open.

"What?" He had tried to keep his voice in control. He hadn't thought about his gun in Baltimore. The one he had turned in when he originally left the force.

"Exactly what I said, Sergeant Munch would you like a hearing aid?" John couldn't help but bristle. He needed to keep control. Channel Olivia, not Elliot.

"I can hear perfectly fine." He finally got out, ignoring the warning look he got from, Casey. She however spoke before he could say anything else.

"Did you have a search warrant for Sergeant Munch's previous gun, Sergeant Gharty?"

"We didn't need to; Sergeant Munch's gun was already in the system due to a previous shooting. We came across a match when comparing the results." John froze, this wasn't supposed to have happened, "It was done by the book Ms. Novak."

John bit his lip. There was no doubt about it he had made a mistake and he was screwed in a big way.

**To Be Continued.**

**Authors Note 2: **Detective Gharty was a character from Homicide Life On the streets that had a rocky relationship with John. It's sort have grown since then.


	3. Chapter 3

**Homicide**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Law and Order SVU or anyone you may recognize from Homicide: Life on the Streets. (Yes there will be character appearances.)

**Summery: **Fin only knew Lake for two years. It wasn't as if he had the time to get to know his ex partner. He at least knew bits of his ex partner of five years Sergeant John Munch.

**Authors Notes: **I have now seen the episodes surrounding the Gordon Pratt murder however I haven't seen all of Homicide so I apologize in advance if any of the characters from this officially wonderful show seem out of character.

**Chapter Three**

Chester Lake had been surprised when it had been called that he had a visitor. Especially, since it had been a visitor outside visiting hours. Yet when he saw his ex partner sitting on the other side he wasn't surprised.

"How'd you get in? Flash your badge and say you needed me for questioning about a case?" He asked sitting down, "you don't look too good."

"Yeah, well you don't look too good yourself" Fin said in defense.

"Being in a prison cell does that to you. What's your excuse or has Cragan let his standards down that low since I left?"

"Nah just didn't feel like making myself look all pretty just for you." Chester couldn't help but snort. This was how it should have been. Why had it taken this long?

"What you doing here, Fin?" He watched as Fin tensed up a little bit and after a moment of silence, Fin sighed.

"Munch was arrested two days ago." Chester blinked twice.

"You're talking about conspiracy loving, aliens do exist, John Munch?" He'd heard the rumor but had just brushed it off, but if Fin had confirmed it, then Chester didn't know what to think.

"Is there any one else?"

"What for?" He finally questioned. Then Fin said something that couldn't help but put chills down his spine.

"Murder, in the first degree."

* * *

John knew they where there sitting behind him. He also knew he couldn't face them knowing what he was about to do. Alex was sitting beside him waiting for the trial arrangement to begin. She'd gone over what he was going to say. Well what she thought he should say.

But he couldn't.

If he said what was planned it was going to be a long drawn out trial. One that could take months and it would create a lot of work for Alex. It was for the best. His partner might never forgive him for it. She might never forgive him for it.

Yet he had to.

"Docket number 1452. The state of New York vs. Sergeant John Munch, one count murder in the first degree." He and Alex both stood. As he got up he refused to look behind him and instead looked straight at the Judge in front of him. Thankfully he had Judge Donnelly. Someone he considered a friend.

"Sergeant Munch, I must admit I'm surprised to see you in this position." He stayed stubbornly silent. A lot of people where probably surprised that he was in this position, "alright how do you plead?" This was it.

"Guilty, your honor." Three words that was about to change his whole life, but he had no regrets in saying them.

"What? John" Alex started to protest. Judge Donnelly first glanced at Alex who was still protesting and then stared at him.

"Are you sure you wish to plead this way, Sergeant Munch?"

"Yes, your honor." His voice was almost void of emotion there was a hint of defeat located within. A gasp was heard. Olivia he thought to himself.

"Very well, I'm not normally this lenient with officers breaking the law but bail is set at Two thousand dollars, trial date to be arranged, next case." As he turned around he refused to make eye contact with anyone that had been sitting behind him. Instead he let him be led away without looking back.

He didn't feel a step of guilt.

Even if he had just lied in court.

* * *

Somewhere between watching another member of their squad being led out in handcuffs and watching him plead guilty in court she had gone completely and utterly numb.

He hadn't even looked her way when he'd been led out. Something didn't feel right. Alex had disappeared after John and she had followed Elliot and Don numbly out of the court house ignoring the press completely. Fin hadn't attended the hearing and Olivia couldn't help but wonder where he was.

Wonder if he even cared.

"Munch is going to blow a gasket if he finds out how much press where here." She heard her partner comment.

"He's probably worrying about his case." Cragan responded back, his voice sounding duller than she'd ever heard it.

"If he is even worried about it." She finally spoke. She was aware of her two colleagues looking at her in shock, "he's pleading guilty. Not even protesting his innocence." The John Munch she knew and loved would do that.

At least the John Munch she thought she knew and loved.

* * *

"He's been arranged today, now actually." Fin said looking steadily at Lake. His ex partner raised an eyebrow. Then there was the ultimate question.

"Why aren't you there?" It was a good question really. Why wasn't he there, supporting the partner he thought he knew? He'd been there for Lake's hearing although he wasn't sure if he'd noticed him.

So why hadn't he been there?

"Fin." He looked up from his hands, "Why are you here 'visiting' me instead of being at your partners hearing?"

"I don't know." He finally said.

"Bull." The simplicity of the statement caused Fin to look questionably at Lake and his ex partner shook his head, "You don't want to be there because you're a coward." It was amazing how fast the tension in the room changed.

"You better explain yourself fast" Fin growled out finally finding an emotion he could channel quite happily.

"You're a coward because you don't want to hear how he pleads. You don't want to hear him say one simple word because it would mean you failed again. That you were a self absorbed partner." Lake spat out. If Fin had been standing he would have taken a step back but instead he folded his arms.

"That's not the case." Fin finally growled out.

"Oh?" It was fine. He was going to be fine. Munch was going to be back to his annoying self in no time. They could put this ugly business behind them.

"Because he didn't do it." Fin stated firmly, "He didn't do it because Munch doesn't shoot someone in cold blood. He wouldn't."

"And if he did?" Lake questioned with a small smile on his face.

"Then I'd still be behind him because it would have been a mistake. He's John Munch."

"Then why aren't you going out there doing something about it?" Fin nodded and started to head of the room his mind too engaged to say anything else.

_To Be Continued._

**Authors Notes: **Some might ask why I put the bail at two thousand, basically because I know it would probably be much higher. It's just the fact that Liz knew John wouldn't run. He's pleading guilty. He's not going to be a flight risk.


End file.
